Name That PLC

jessman · Jun 20, 2017

Can someone help me?
I'm an independent integrator/troubleshooter and I usually end up with the weird stuff. This one has me stumped. A potential client has sent me a picture of their "plc" which they are blaming for some recent machine control issues. They are a few hours away, so I am doing my homework before visiting.

Can anyone tell me what brand of "plc's" these are? I imagine there is a sticker on the bottom, but I am trying to look really smart and not have the client do extra work.

Thanks in advance!

labeledas · Jun 20, 2017

Got me stumped looks more like some kind of canbus controller at least from the connectors

Ken Roach · Jun 20, 2017

Tough one !

That's the sort of "Deutsch" form factor that I see on mobile equipment controllers, like stuff from IFM or High Country or HydraForce or Axiomatic or Murphy. The connectors often include J1939 CANbus as well as I/O and power.

But I just don't recognize the logo.

harryting · Jun 20, 2017

Flux capacitor?

Ken Roach · Jun 20, 2017

Got it! Those are Sauer-Danfoss Plus+1 controllers.

http://powersolutions.danfoss.com/products/electronic-components/plus-1-microcontrollers/#/

And that's the total of what I know about them.

labeledas · Jun 20, 2017

nice job how the hell did you figure it out

Dravik · Jun 20, 2017

Ken beat me to it, those are kind of fun actually.

jraef · Jun 20, 2017

Ken Roach said:
Got it! Those are Sauer-Danfoss Plus+1 controllers.

http://powersolutions.danfoss.com/products/electronic-components/plus-1-microcontrollers/#/

And that's the total of what I know about them.

Wow, bravo. I love those kinds of challenges, but you beat me (I was nowhere even close actually). The closest I got was that I had seen them on some mobile equipment for the road repair industry at a trade show I try to go to every 3 years (ConExpo-Con/Agg in Vegas, fun show), but I didn't get down to the actual mfr.

http://www.bearcatmfg.com/html/chip/tandem8.html
You can see it in this website down toward the end of the photo list where the control panel is open. Given that Danfoss is big in the hydraulics industry, it makes sense now.

Dravik · Jun 21, 2017

You'll need the Plus +1 Guide and Service Tool software to work with them btw. Plus an interface cable which I don't recall the part # of

dwoodlock · Jun 21, 2017

+1 to danfoss for looking space age and nigh unusable.

jessman · Jun 22, 2017

Thanks, everybody.

And of course, being a CAN Controller, I need the original program to do anything with it, I suppose. And of course the original program cannot be provided by the manufacturer because it is the proprietary property of the company that used to be the manufacturer and has since been sold twice and not paid their bills to the company that wrote the software, etc....

I think we will just have to fix the machine without messing with the controller.

Thanks!

Dravik · Jun 22, 2017

jessman said:
Thanks, everybody.

And of course, being a CAN Controller, I need the original program to do anything with it, I suppose. And of course the original program cannot be provided by the manufacturer because it is the proprietary property of the company that used to be the manufacturer and has since been sold twice and not paid their bills to the company that wrote the software, etc....

I think we will just have to fix the machine without messing with the controller.

Thanks!

You can use the Service Tool to at least look at variables and whatnot. Probably don't want to make changes anyhow

Ken Roach · Jun 22, 2017

I need the original program to do anything with it, I suppose.

In general, mobile equipment controllers that I've looked at are not like general-purpose PLC controllers where you can usually connect and upload the user program. Maybe some of them are; certainly CoDeSys can be configured to allow or disallow uploads. But in general they're made to be maintained by the OEM.

Dravik, it sounds like you have some experience with these specific controllers. Do they allow uploads ? What kind of enumeration (like variable names) and data access is OP going to be able to get out of them ?

Dravik · Jun 22, 2017

So, In my experience, They do not allow uploads as the code is actually compiled before it is transferred to the controller. Somewhat like an ELAU w/out the CF card, so you can't recover it. (Now last I used one of these was 7 years ago, so ymmv).

The service tool will allow you to see whatever the programmer setup for exposed variables and IO. Basically depends on what they wanted a technician to be able to adjust.

When I was working on one, We had joystick calibration data that could be updated w/ the service tool and they had exposed some of the running analog values. You couldn't dig down very far though.

Karsten · Jul 13, 2017

I know quite a lot about these controllers and have programmed a bunch.

First of all there is no way to upload the source!

To program them you need the Guide software that is rather expensive:
http://powersolutions.danfoss.com/products/plus-1-software/plus-1-guide-software-and-license/#/

You also need a gateway to connect:
http://powersolutions.danfoss.com/s...fset=0&hits=10&facet_document_type=Data sheet

With the gateway you can also connect with the free Servicetool but without a Servicetool aplication developed in the pay version it is not much use..

It is not bad to program just very different. Kind of Function bloc programming but with internal "buses" instead of variables.

I would stay away from it if it is only a one time gig.

Name That PLC

jessman

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labeledas

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Ken Roach

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harryting

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Ken Roach

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labeledas

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Dravik

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jraef

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Dravik

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dwoodlock

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jessman

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Dravik

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Ken Roach

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Dravik

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Karsten

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